DAS FURLINES

It was after a wild drinking spree that the Das Furlines came together. We wanted to be the first "MONKS" cover band. The Monks were a bunch of G.I.'s stationed in Germany in the sixties that were known for being the anti-Beatles, the First Fathers of Punk. One of their songs, "I Hate You", became an anthem for us. Decked out in Viking helmets and Tyrolian St. Pauli Girl outfits, we embarked on a mission to play a frothy blend of polka and punk. We played for lumberjacks up in Canada, skinheads in BOston, and the chi-chi Dynasty crowd in Miami. It was the same club in Miami that a week prior, I was with John Sex. They needed an "act" for the cast of "Cabaret" party, so I told them the Furlines would be perfect. They flew us down on Eastern, which was the Mad magazine airline. Instead of arriving at 4:00, we arrived in Fort Lauderdale at 11:30, and had to change into our outfits and tune our guitars in the limo. We got there so late that we missed the party, the main reason we were flown down to play. But we played anyway, much to the horror of the bejeweled patrons of Club Nu. When we launched into "I Hate You", we nearly cleared the club. THe third night they paid us not to play, so we went on a hayride and mooned the club as we passed by. The following week, we were in People magazine, where they called us the "Polka Pride of the Lower East Side."

We became notorious, especially when I got onto a fist fight with the drummer of our band in the parking lot of the 9:30 club in Washington D.C.. It was over something stupid, but it was a real catfight, with everyone from the club crowded around the locked van we were fighting in. Afterwards, we became real close friends.

At this time, I had several bands going on at the same time. THere was "The Love Delegation", headed by Peter Zeremba of the Fleshtones, and "The Wild Hyenas", headed by me with members of the Fleshtones. Both bands recorded and toured. One highlight for me was opening up for the Psychedelic Furs. It was on the riverboat "President" in New Orleans. I came out singing " Sometimes you might like to hear something nice and easy... but there's just one thing we never do nothin nice and easy....." There I was, rolling down the Mississippi singing "Proud Mary" in front of 5000 people. My mother Tina would be proud.